<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193125-16-757072.txt : 20161102
<SEC-HEADER>0001193125-16-757072.hdr.sgml : 20161102
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20161102161955
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193125-16-757072
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	DEFA14A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20161102
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20161102
EFFECTIVENESS DATE:		20161102

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FARMER BROTHERS CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000034563
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	MISCELLANEOUS FOOD PREPARATIONS & KINDRED PRODUCTS [2090]
		IRS NUMBER:				950725980
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0630

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		DEFA14A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-34249
		FILM NUMBER:		161968078

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		13601 NORTH FREEWAY, SUITE 200
		CITY:			FORT WORTH
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			76177
		BUSINESS PHONE:		682 549 6600

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P O BOX 77057
		CITY:			FORT WORTH
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			76177
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>DEFA14A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>d286222ddefa14a.htm
<DESCRIPTION>DEFA14A
<TEXT>
<HTML><HEAD>
<TITLE>DEFA14A</TITLE>
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 <P STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="line-height:3.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>UNITED STATES </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:18pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SCHEDULE 14A
</B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Rule&nbsp;14a-101) </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section&nbsp;14(a) of the </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>Securities Exchange Act of 1934 </B></P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Amendment No. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;) </B></P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P><center>
<P STYLE="line-height:6.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:2pt;border-bottom:1.00pt solid #000000;width:21%">&nbsp;</P></center> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Filed by the
Registrant&nbsp;&nbsp;&#9746;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Filed by a Party other than the
Registrant&nbsp;&nbsp;&#9744;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Check the appropriate box: </P> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD VALIGN="top">&#9744;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">Preliminary Proxy Statement</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top">&#9744;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom"><B>Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))</B></TD></TR>
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<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="top">&#9744;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">Definitive Proxy Statement</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top">&#9746;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">Definitive Additional Materials</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="8"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="8" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top">&#9744;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">Soliciting Material Pursuant to &#167;240.14a-12</TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:22pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>FARMER
BROS.&nbsp;CO. </B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter) </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:18pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)
</B></P> <P STYLE="margin-top:18pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): </P>
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<TD VALIGN="top">&#9746;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3">No fee required.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="4"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top">&#9744;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3">Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and&nbsp;0-11.</TD></TR>
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<TD HEIGHT="16"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="16" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">(1)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:</P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">(2)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:</P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">(3)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing
fee is calculated and state how it was determined):</P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">(4)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:</P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">(5)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Total fee paid:</P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P></TD></TR>
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<TD HEIGHT="24"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="24" COLSPAN="4"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top">&#9744;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3">Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.</TD></TR>
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<TD HEIGHT="24"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="24" COLSPAN="4"></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="top">&#9744;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top" COLSPAN="3">Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule&nbsp;0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement
number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-size:1pt">
<TD HEIGHT="24"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="24" COLSPAN="2"></TD>
<TD HEIGHT="24" COLSPAN="2"></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">(1)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Amount Previously Paid:</P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P></TD></TR>
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<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">(2)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:</P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">(3)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Filing Party:</P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt">
<TD VALIGN="bottom"></TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top">(4)</TD>
<TD VALIGN="bottom">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="top"> <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Date Filed:</P> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:1pt; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</P></TD></TR>
</TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P> <P STYLE="line-height:1.0pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;border-bottom:1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</P>
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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The following materials were provided to participants in the Farmers Bros. Co. Amended and Restated Employee
Stock Ownership Plan (the &#147;Plan&#148;), held in the Farmer Bros. Co. Employee Stock Ownership Trust by GreatBanc Trust Company , as trustee of the Plan, in order to provide plan participants with procedural instructions regarding directing the
trustee&#146;s voting of shares held in the Plan. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman" ALIGN="center"><B>MATERIALS FROM FARMER BROS. CO. </B></P>
<P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">To:</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Participants in the Farmer Bros. Co. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Ownership Plan, held in the Farmer Bros. Co. Employee Stock Ownership
Trust (the &#147;Plan&#148;) </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:12pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
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<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">Re:</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Farmer Bros. Co. </TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">GreatBanc Trust Company serves as trustee under the Farmer Bros. Co. Employee Stock Ownership Trust (the &#147;Trust&#148;).&nbsp;As a
participant in and a named fiduciary (i.e., the responsible party identified in the voting section of the Plan and the Trust) under the Plan, you have the right to direct GreatBanc Trust Company, as trustee, how to vote the shares of Farmer Bros.
Co. common stock allocated to your Plan account.&nbsp;The Plan and Trust provide that the trustee will vote the shares for which voting instructions have not been received, as well as any unallocated shares, in the trustee&#146;s sole discretion,
which is a change from previous years. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Farmer Bros. Co. (the &#147;Company&#148; or
&#147;Farmer Bros.&#148;) will be held on December&nbsp;8,&nbsp;2016.&nbsp;The Company has prepared a solicitation of Company stockholders regarding the following purposes: </P> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">1.</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">To elect the Farmer Bros.&#146; nominees, Michael H. Keown, Charles F. Marcy and Christopher P. Mottern, as Class I directors to the Board of Directors (the &#147;Board&#148;) of the Company for a three-year term of
office expiring at the Company&#146;s 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until their successors are elected and duly qualified; </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">2.</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">To ratify the selection of Deloitte &amp; Touche LLP as the Company&#146;s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017; </TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
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<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">3.</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">To hold an advisory (non-binding) vote to approve the compensation paid to the Company&#146;s named executive officers; and </TD></TR></TABLE> <P STYLE="font-size:6pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">&nbsp;</P>
<TABLE STYLE="BORDER-COLLAPSE:COLLAPSE; font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="100%">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD WIDTH="4%" VALIGN="top" ALIGN="left">4.</TD>
<TD ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top">To transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any continuation, postponement or adjournment thereof. </TD></TR></TABLE>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Enclosed please find materials including the Proxy Statement prepared by the Company.&nbsp;Please review these materials carefully before
completing a voting instruction form, either GOLD or WHITE, as explained below.&nbsp;<B>You will not be entitled to vote the Farmer Bros. shares allocated to your Plan account in person at the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and must return
either a GOLD or WHITE form if you wish to vote your Plan shares.</B> </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If you wish to vote the shares allocated to your Plan account in
favor of the Farmer Bros.&#146; nominees, you must complete, sign, date and return the enclosed GOLD voting instruction form or submit your voting instructions by telephone or Internet in accordance with the instructions set forth in the enclosed
GOLD voting instruction form.&nbsp;If you wish to vote the shares allocated to your Plan account in favor of the Carol L. Waite Trust&#146;s nominees, you must complete the WHITE voting instruction form that will be sent to you under separate
cover.</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Please note that a separate solicitation of stockholders (the &#147;Save Farmer Bros. Solicitation&#148;) has been prepared by the
Carol&nbsp;L.&nbsp;Waite Trust, together with certain other individuals who joined the Carol L. Waite Trust in the Save Farmer Bros. Solicitation (collectively, &#147;Save Farmer Bros.&#148;).&nbsp;The undersigned trustee under separate cover will
be sending you information regarding the Save Farmer Bros. Solicitation, including a Proxy Statement prepared by the Save Farmer Bros.&nbsp;Save Farmer Bros. has submitted a separate slate of three nominees to serve as directors of the
Company.&nbsp;<B>In order to instruct the trustee to vote for the Farmer Bros.&#146; nominees, you must follow the instructions set forth in the enclosed GOLD voting instruction form.</B><B>&nbsp;</B><B>In order to vote for the Save Farmer Bros.
nominees, you must follow the instructions set forth in the WHITE voting instruction form that will be sent to you under separate cover.</B> It is important that you understand that the latest dated voting instruction form received by the trustee
will be the instruction form used by the trustee to vote the Company shares allocated to your account under the Plan. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">The number of
shares of Farmer Bros. Co. that you are eligible to vote is based on the balance of your Plan account on October&nbsp;17, 2016, the record date for the determination of stockholders eligible to vote.&nbsp;Your instructions are confidential,
</P>

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 <P STYLE="margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">
will not be shared with the Company or any of its employees, directors, executives or representatives, or any member of Save Farmer Bros., and will be known only by GreatBanc Trust Company or its
independent tabulation agent.&nbsp;We encourage you to exercise your voting rights under the Plan.&nbsp;Please review the enclosed documents carefully before deciding how to vote the shares of Farmer Bros. Co. allocated to your Plan account. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Please mark, sign and date the enclosed GOLD voting instruction form or the WHITE voting instruction form sent to you under separate cover in
accordance with the instructions therein, and return it to our independent tabulation agent in the enclosed envelope or submit your voting instructions by telephone or Internet in accordance with the instructions set forth in the enclosed GOLD
voting instruction form or the WHITE voting instruction form that will be sent to you under separate cover.&nbsp;We cannot give assurance that voting instruction forms received later than 5:00&nbsp;p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on December&nbsp;5,
2016 will be honored. </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">If you do not timely return either a GOLD or a WHITE voting instruction form or submit your voting instructions by
telephone or Internet in accordance with the instructions set forth in the enclosed GOLD voting instruction form or the WHITE voting instruction form, then the shares held in your Plan account will be voted by the trustee in its sole discretion.
</P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:4%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Your voting instruction form will be kept strictly confidential. </P>
<P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:13%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">Very truly yours, </P> <P STYLE="margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:17%; font-size:10pt; font-family:Times New Roman">GREATBANC
TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE OF THE FARMER BROS. CO. EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP TRUST </P>
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